186 



8. The dust or fine powder of the s lamina is the prin*- 

 ciple which fertilizes the seed. The pistil is the place 

 where this fecundation is performed. 



Being, contained in certain vesicles, the fecundating 

 dust is discovered in them by a microscope, under the 

 appearance of a group of urinate, regular bodies, for 

 the most part of a spherical or elliptic form, which 1 , 

 being moistened, open themselves,. and emit a thin va- 

 pour, in which there floats a great number of exceeding 

 small seeds, which stem to move on all sides. The 

 dust itself, when, put into a drop of water, moves several 

 ways with great rapidity. 



The pistil is composed of three principal parts, the 

 lose, the cups, and the top. The base contains one or 

 more cavities, where the grain is lodged. The cups are 

 long tunnels, whose base or aperture i* turned towards 

 the top : This is generally furnished with several nipples, 

 each of which isperforatedj having their diameter cor- 

 responding witJi that of a small gram of the dust. 



Being in the lower part of the cup, the minute 

 grains are pressed in them more and more by the 

 straituess of these pipes: they are therein moistened 

 with a juice that lilies their sides : they open them- 

 selves and eject the seminal vapour, which penetrates 

 to the seed, and promotes fecundation. 



Several species of plants have two sorts of indivi- 

 duals : viz. 1, Such individuals as only bear stamina, 

 and these are males ; and two individuals that have 

 only thepw/7/j which are females. 



In a great number of species every individual is- an- 

 hei^apkrbdite+vvbidn unites both sexes, the stamina-anil 

 the pistil. Sometimes this union happens in the sj'me 

 flower, tften the stamina surround the pistil : at other 

 times it is only effected on the same lianch ; so that 

 the stamina are placed- oh one part, and the pistil, on 

 another. 



). The seminal liquor is the principle of fecundation 



